Ug'Shalur
Ud-shalur Ud-shalur was a potent mesopotamian sorceror, known for his work with the binding, summoning, banishing and utilization of demons. He was eventually exiled to the far east after a failed attempt at the Mesopotamian throne. Early Life Ud-shalur was born on the banks on the Euphrates-Tigris river, in what is now modern-day Iraq. Practically nothing is known of his parents, as he had them killed as soon as he ascended to power. He took great pains to eradicate every mention of them from history, even taking measures to ensure that the methods of disposal of their bodies was kept secret. He demonstrated magical potential from a very early age, and it is storied that several magical phenomena were present during his birth and early childhood, and his blamed for a rash of bovine sterility... but also praised for a quadruple harvest on the year of his birth. Throne of Mesopotamia Ud-shalur was determined to gain the throne of the region as quickly as possible, and moved himself closer to it by making himself progessively more useful to the monarchy. While the bulk of his heroism were legitimate endeavors that benefited the people, he was not above the odd staged display during the slow months. His most common form of this misdirection was conjuring demons and setting them loose over town to serve as puppet antagonists for him to heroically drive away. He was eventually poised to usurp the position of court wizard, Rish-samash, but his rival was able to wring a confession out of a truth-bound demon that Ud-shalur had previously "defeated." He used this confession as a stepping stone to gain other knowledge about the upstart Ud-shalur and eventually used this information to destroy the young sorceror's reputation in court. This caused an almost equally embarrased king to banish Ud-shalur to the east, where he was to walk until his feet could carry him no further. Exile Heavily cursed by the king's decree, Ud-shalur wandered overland for nearly two decades before finding a home. Little is known of his exploits after the exile, though he did craft several artifacts and is believed to have influenced several key events throughout history, either through an inhuman level of foresight and planning, or simply by prolonging his lifespan well past the normal measures of a normal human. Arrival in China Ud-shalur's last known location was in ancient China. He was allowed to settle there due to a freak accident in which his feet were torn from his ankles by a runaway cart while he was sleeping adjacent to the road. He was reported to have razed the entire town in reflexive pain and surprise, but was then able to heal the stumps of his wounds and fasten himself a new pair of feet from the melted bronze of the ornate keystone of the town's gateway arch. Freed from his curse by a technicality, he promptly settled in China and went about his business, setting schemes in motion that would not come to fruition for many thousands of years. No records of his death exist. Artifacts The only known preserved artifact of Ud-shalur is a Demon Binding Seal, which is a terra-cotta sculpture of a harbor seal that will bind any unwary dematerialized entity within in, and hold them there until they can overcome it's strength; it is the metaphysical equivalent of a steel trap. Where Ud-shalur encountered a harbor seal in his travels is currently unknown.